Billions of pounds of investment in transport infrastructure in England have been announced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves.
People across the North, Midlands and the South West will benefit from the biggest ever investment in buses, trams and local train infrastructure in city regions as the Chancellor today promises the renewal of Britain to make all parts of the country better off.
Reeves will say the Spending Review next week will take different choices, with investment in a “new economic model, driven by investment in all parts of the country, not just a few.”
She will unveil the first investment announcements from the Spending Review, with £15.6bn of funding for local transport projects in England’s city regions, including South Yorkshire, the North East, the East Midlands and Tees Valley.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander, said: “Today marks a watershed moment on our journey to improving transport across the North and Midlands opening up access to jobs, growing the economy and driving up quality of life as we deliver our Plan for Change.
“For too long, people in the North and Midlands have been locked out of the investment they deserve. With £15.6bn of Government investment, we’re giving local leaders the means to drive cities, towns and communities forward, investing in Britain’s renewal so you and your family are better off.”
Kate Nicholls, chief executive of UKHospitality, said: “This is significant investment in regional transport and will provide a boost to local economies, creating hospitality and tourism jobs. It’s fair to say that our transport infrastructure in many parts of the country has been lacking and this goes a long way to address that. As the UK’s most socially productive sector, hospitality can provide jobs in every part of the country, support employment for all and drive social mobility.”
